Letters to the editor

The food pantry at the Baldwin First United Methodist Church is fully stocked. Thanks to the recent response from community groups, businesses, schools, Boy Scouts and area churches, a wide variety of food items is available to anyone in need. Regular church office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to noon. For more information call 594-6612.

Missions Committee

Baldwin First United Methodist Church

To the editor:

Thinking I might do some good by going to the Baldwin School Board meeting Monday night, I was naive enough to believe it might make a difference if someone stood up for what is right with regard to hiring people who have made mistakes in their life. How dumb am I? The board had made up their mind long before I ever arrived on the scene at the board meeting.

I left the Baldwin School Board Meeting Monday evening confident the board would make a decision in favor of the newly hired janitor, for they certainly had no reason not to. There was no one at the meeting who spoke out against her. When I left the building there were two ladies that work in the school system that left at the same time I did who told me how glad they were that I had taken time to come to the meeting and they hoped the board would make the decision to further the contract with the head janitor. One of them said she wished she had spoken up in my niece's behalf. They each said they deal with my niece and expressed what a sweet and kind person she is. As it turns out, I'm glad she didn't because it wouldn't have made a dime's worth of difference and her job might have been in jeopardy.

It amazes me how my niece has been praised for the good work she was doing and was told the school hasn't been so clean nor looked so good in ages by the administration, yet when the school board made the decision not to keep her, they gave no consideration to this fact. As it turns out, she can be as good a person as she can be, keep the school spotless, but by gum the board is going to do their duty and listen to one or two disgruntled people in the district and get rid of a great janitor in the Baldwin school system because, oh my, she might pose a threat to their children. What a laugh. My niece is a good person with a bright future and letting her go is surely a loss for the Baldwin school system. Isn't it awful when you cut off your nose to spite your face? By the way, what was the justification you (the school board) came up with to let her go?

This is my thought for the school board members. There will come a day, and I don't know when that day will come but it will, when those who voted against keeping my niece will believe they are being treated very unfairly, and perhaps you will be -- but that will be the day you're going to remember a young lady who only wanted a job to be able to support her family, whether you want to remember her or not. I am a firm believer in what goes around comes around and if you treat people unfairly it will come back to haunt you.

Nell Trefz

Eudora

As a member of the Baldwin Community Arts Council board, and as Chairman of this year's Chocolate Auction event, I want to publicly thank everyone who helped make this year's auction an extraordinary success. From my fellow members of the BCAC board, to the donating artists, businesses, and cooks, the staff at the high school, our wonderful auctioneers, and everyone who placed bids or made donations, everyone worked hard to make the auction enjoyable and successful.

The 2006 Chocolate Auction raised well over $7,000. That money will be spent on the scholarships offered by the BCAC to those pursuing a degree in the arts, as well as other programs that the council participates in to further our stated mission: To enrich the diverse cultural life of the Baldwin community through support of The Arts in all forms. It's not all about the money, though, as important as that may be. The event is also a wonderful time for all of us to celebrate the unique artistic culture of our community.

Of course, the council also owes thanks to the Lamberts, who graciously allowed us to celebrate their longtime support of the arts in Baldwin and at Baker. It was our pleasure to honor them.

Every year, the Chocolate Auction reminds me that we live in a special place. This year was no exception.

Sincerely,

Ande Parks

To the editor:

We need to find a way to leverage our state's great strengths into economic growth. Kansas has excellent roads, a good educational system, bountiful natural resources, a positive regulatory environment and solid economic develop tools.

Unfortunately, our wonderful state has yet to take full advantage of these attributes and many areas of Kansas lag the national economic recovery that is occurring all around us. Our citizens and businesses deserve better.

An excellent way to spur capital investment and economic growth would be to eliminate the investment tax on new machinery and business equipment. To date this personal property tax on new capital investments puts Kansas at a disadvantage when comparing itself to other states, which do not have this impediment to financial growth.

Currently, the Kansas Legislature and the Governor are considering this improvement to the Kansas tax climate for employers. I encourage these leaders to make Kansas more attractive to capital investment in our economy by repealing this tax on growth.

Repealing this tax will primarily help small businesses, which account for the vast majority of newly created jobs. Spurring economic growth for Kansas employers will benefit all Kansans in the long-run.